Prefabricated wrapper for containers



PREFABRICATED WRAPPER FOR CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 21, 1966 2 xx xx x '60 f40 45 42 52 Q4 ,Lv62 I 26 -56 XKKNKV K K FIG-.5

PAUL 9 132 365 Z7]- 5 BY l m ax J United States Patent 3,311,289PREFABRICATED WRAPPER FOR CUNTAINERS Paul French 4715 Allencrest Road,Dallas, Tex. 78204 Filed Feb. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 534,950 3 Claims. (Cl.229-87) This application is a continuation-in-part of my applicationSerial No. 394,695, filed September 8, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a prefabricated wrapper for a container suchas a box, and which is adapted to be folded in position around the boxso as to completely enclose the same and establish an outer wrap orcover therefor. One particularly advantageous use is in the field ofgift wrapping in department stores or the like.

It is necessary in many instances to provide an outer cover, wrap orover wrap to a container. In many instances boxes or other containersmust be wrapped, usually with a protective or decorative wrappingmaterial such as gift wrap or waterproof or other cover. Clean boxes areoften gift wrapped or provided with an outer wrapper in departmentstores. Cigarette cartons often are wrapped at Christmas time or othertimes with a decorative outer covering. Sometimes this is provided atthe factory when the merchandise is packed. However, in many instancesthe container in which the merchandise is shipped or in which themerchandise is placed after shipping is not wrapped and must be wrappedin the establishment where it is sold or prior to that time afterpacking at the factory. The ordinary wrapping of amerchandise-containing box so as to produce a gift wrapped package isoftimes a time consuming process especially in a rush period in adepartment store such as during the holidays or at other times whenpersonnel is limited.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above-noted limitationthat is attendant upon the gift wrapping of boxes, particularlyrectangular boxes, and toward this end the invention contemplates theprovision of a novel preformed wrapper which is in the form of aflattened tube of flexible and preferably decorative sheet stock, thematerial of the tube being provided with score or crease lines which arecommensurate with the rectangular outlines of the particular box to begift wrapped so that when the box is inserted Within the tube the lattermay be folded upon the box in such a manner that all of the score lineswill coincide with the longitudinal and transverse edges of the box,thus enhancing the appearance of the gift wrapped package in that theside faces of completed package will be entirely devoid of longitudinal,transverse or diagonal score or crease lines.

The provision of a preformed wrapper of the character briefly outlinedabove being among the principal objects of the invention, it is afurther object to provide such a wrapper which is formed from a singlerectangular sheet of flexible material and in which the oppositelyfacing longitudinal side edge regions of the sheet are sealed to eachother in slightly overlapping relationship to provide a seam and thusproduce the tubular structure, the various score or crease lines beingso disposed that when the tube is folded about a box, the seam isentirely concealed beneath plural layers of the material, and moreoverlies closely adjacent to one longitudinal edge of the box undergoingwrapping so that its presence will not be apparent through the layers ofthe material which it underlies.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tabular wrapperof this character which is reversible in end-to-end fashion, which is tosay that the operator, when applying the wrapper to a box, may insertthe box into either end of the tubular structure preparatory toeffecting the folding operations, thus obviating the necessity ofattaining a specific end-to-end orientation of the wrapper for eachsuccessive wrapping operation.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tubular wrapperwhich is so constructed that in its fiattened condition certain adjacentareas thereof are exposed for application thereto of a pressuresensitive adhesive by a single application effective on one side of thewrapper only, these areas, during the folding operation of the wrapperabout a box, moving into register with one another and ultimately intocoextensive face-to-face contact to effect the final package sealingoperation.

A similar and related object of the invention is to provide a tubularwrapper which, in the flattened condition thereof as marketed, has thepressure sensitive adhesive applied thereto only one one side of thewrapper so that a plurality of the wrappers may be stacked upon oneanother without danger of the adhesive surfaces on adjacent wrappersbecoming bonded to each other. By such an arrangement, successivewrappers may be withdrawn from a stack without interference due tointerbonding of adhesive coatings on adjacent wrappers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this timeenumerated, will readily suggest themselves as the nature of theinvention is better understood.

In the accompanying single sheet of drawings forming a part of thisspecification, one illustrative embodiment of the invention has beenshown.

In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a completed outer wrapper for arectangular box;

IGURE 2 is a perspective view of the outer wrapper of FIGURE 1, insertedover the box and positioned in place for the final folding;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the front end of the box and wrappershown in FIGURE 2 with the side gusset folded into final position;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of the end of the box and wrapper shownin FIGURE 3, illustrating the further additional step of folding theside end tabs in place;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the end of the box shown in FIGURE 4,with the bottom end flap folded on top of the top end flap for the finalfolded position.

It is to be understood that while only the front end of the box is shownin FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, the other end of the wrapper is folded in theidentical manner and has parts identical to those shown in the one endillustrated. Further, while there is shown in the drawings a rectangularcontainer, it is to be understood the container may be round,cylindrical or square or other shapes and that the same genericprefabricated wrap will apply to those containers in other shapes.

Referring initially to FIGURE 1, an outer prefabri cated wrapper it),which is fabricated at a folding plant or the like, may be of anymaterial such as enameled or other decorative gift wrap material. Thewrapper 19 is adapted to be applied, by a folding operation and in amanner that will be described in detail presently, to a rectangular boxof predetermined dimensions and, when so applied, it constitutes acompleted gift wrap for the box, although, if desired, a decorativeribbon or the like may be suitably applied about the thus wrapped box.

The material has been folded fiat upon itself to provide longitudinallyextending cusped marginal side edges 12 and 14 with the terminal ends16, 18 of the material overlapped to form a seam having an edge 20within the confines of one side of the wrapper 1d. Scored or other linesdefining creases on the top panel 22 of the wrapper 10, may beidentified for clarity as longitudinal fold line 24 on the gusseted sideof the box wrapper 1t and a fold line 26 on the bottom panel 23 of thewrapper spaced from marginal edge 12, defining one side of the wrapper10 opposite from the gusseted side designated as 28.

The gusseted side 28 of the wrapper, which includes the seam and edge20, has thereon a perforated longitudinal line 39, which may be definedin some other manner and which is intermediate the scored line 24 andfold line 14, actually being located a distance approximately the depthof the side of the box to define the side 32.

Transverse fold lines 34, 36 on opposite ends of the wrapper 10, definethe end flaps 38, 49 on the top and extend around the tubular wrapper1t} and define the near bottom flap 412 as well as an identical flap atthe other end of the wrapper (not shown but hereinafter referred to asflap 44); fold lines 34 and 36 also define composite three-ply side endfold tabs 46, 48 on the ends of the box.

A self-sticking or pressure sensitive adhesive of any conventionalformula is applied next to the marginal edge 14 and next to the foldline 24 within the gusset area and also self-sticking adhesive isapplied to the outside of one end flap 38, 4t and the inside of the endflaps 42, 44. The illustrated indentations in the flaps 33 and 40 permitthe adhesive to be applied simultaneously to the respective pairs offiaps 38, 4 4 and 4t 42 from the same side of the wrapper namely, theupwardly facing side shown in the drawing and this application may bedone by a suitably wiping or rolling action in connection withconventional adhesive applying equipment. These indentation alsofacilitate the opening of the wrapper to receive the box 52. Theadhesive may optionally be of the type that is protected by a removablestrip, in which case the adhesive is applied by rolling the tape intothe desired position for the adhesive; in such case, the protective tapewould have to be removed before the wrapper is used.

In the operation of the previously described wrapper, the fingers or thehands may be inserted in either end of the wrapper, as by depressing,for instance, flap 42 from flap 40 through the working space defined bythe indentation in flap 40 to spread open the tube sufliciently toinsert the box 52 which has been selected according to size and shape tofit accurately within the wrap 10. Box 52 is inserted inside of theouter wrapper 10 bringing the top edge of the box on one side intoengagement with the marginal edge 12 and the bottom edge 26 on thatside, which positions the box beneath fold line 24 and the correspondingbottom fold line beneath perforated line 30 in the manner shown inFIGURE 2.

Proceeding from the position shown in FIGURE 2, the gusseted side 23 isthen formed by folding the double fold at marginal edge 14 inwardly onitself about the perforated line 30 thus bringing that portion intocoextensive engagement with the outer surface of side 32 and bringingthe self-sticking adhesive into contact, thereby providing an upwardlyextending gusset, the upper edge of which is substantially coincidentwith the adjacent upper longitudinal edge of the box 52. Then theselfsticking adhesive is pressed smoothly into engagement by hand andthe folding of the ends is completed in the manner shown in FIGURES 3, 4and 5.

The folding of the material about the line 3i) and the end scored lines34, 36 on each respective end of the wrapper 18, forms double side ends58 next to a single flap 60 and a corresponding single flap 62 on theother side which are all folded inwardly about the respective scoredlines 34 into engagement with the front 64 of box 52.

'Diagonal score lines 68 on the end flaps 33, 4t), 42 and 44 of thewrapper 10 enable the composite three-ply flaps 46 and 48 to foldinwardly in the manner shown in FIGURE 4.

Finally, the top end flaps 38 and 40 are folded downwardly against thebox 64 and the bottom end flaps 42 and 44 are folded on top of the endflap 40 and the selfsticlting adhesive is brought into contact andengagement.

It is to be understood that throughout this specification and in theappended claims, the term crease line is intended to imply anylongitudinally, transversely-or diagonally extending line of weakeningin the flexible sheet material along which a fold or a bend isultimately effected. Such a crease line may be in the form of a scoreline, a line of closely spaced perforations or simply a precreased linewhich has been flattened. Where such a crease line has been referred toas an infold crease line, it is intended to imply that the lineseparates two sections of the sheet which are ultimately to be foldedupon each other or toward each other in a direction extending toward tocentral regions of the tubular sheet. Similarly, where such a creaseline has been referred to as an outfold crease line, it is intended toimply that the sections on opposite sides of the line will ultimately befolded in a direction extending away from the central regions of thetubular sheet.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my inventionfor purposes of illustration and to teach one skilled in the art how toconstruct the invention, various modifications, changes, eliminations,deviations, ramifications, revisions and departures may be made from theembodiment shown and described without departing from the scope of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A prefabricated wrapper especially adapted for wrapping containers ofparallelepiped configuration and of predetermined size, said wrappercomprising:

an open ended fiat tubular member formed from a generallyquadrilaterally shaped sheet of wrapper material having two opposed endsof the material secured together in overlapping relation to form a seamthat extends longitudinally of said member,

said member defining creased marginal side edges that extendlongitudinally thereof, and top and bottom sides separated by said sideedges,

said side edges each being formed by the adjacent portions of saidbottom and top sides along the respective side edges being folded flat,

one of said creased side edges defining an outfold crease line,

said member being coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on theexterior surface of one side thereof and throughout an area borderingand coextensive with the other of said side edges,

said member also being coated on said surface of said one side thereofwith a pressure sensitive adhesive throughout a second area parallelingsaid first area and having its inner margin spaced from said outfoldcrease line approximately the width of the container size to be wrapped,

said member being proportioned so that said inner margin of said secondarea is spaced from said other edge thereof a distance approximatingtwice the eight of the container size to be wrapped,

said seam being located within the last mentioned distance, said memberat either end thereof having said side thereof indented inwardly of theother side thereof,

said member being coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on saidsurface of said one side thereof at either end thereof and throughout anarea at either end thereof that borders the respective indentations,

said member being further coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive onthe interior surface of said other side thereof at either end thereofthroughout an area at either end thereof that underlies the respectiveindentations of said one side thereof,

said member sides each being formed with an end flap =3 forming foldline at either end of said member, with said end flap forming fold linesof each side of said member extending transfersely thereof and beingspaced apart approximately the length of the container size to beWrapped, whereby, when said member is opened by separating said sidesthereof to receive the container to be wrapped, on positioning onelongitudinally extending corner edge of the container in interfittingengagement with said outfold crease line and centering the containerbetween said adhesive coated areas at the ends of said member, theportion of said member between said other edge thereof and said innermargin of the second mentioned adhesive coated area of said one sidethereof may be doubled over fiat against the adjacent side of thecontainer using as a center the longitudinally extending corner edge ofthe container that is diagonally opposite said one corner edge thereof,with the end flaps of said one side of the member being turned againstthe respective ends of the container and the end flaps of said otherside of the member being turned against the respective said one side endflaps to provide a hidden seamed uniform appearing gift wrappedcontainer in which all exposed portions of the wrapper are free fromdecoration marring discontinuities. 2. A prefabricated wrapperespecially adapted for wrapping containers of parallelepipedconfiguration and of predetermined size, said wrapper comprising:

an open ended flat tubular member formed from a generallyquadrilaterally shaped sheet of wrapper material having two opposed endsof the material secured together to form a seam that extendslongitudinally of said member,

said member defining cusped marginal side edges that extendlongitudinally thereof, and top and bottom sides separated by said sideedges,

said side edges each being formed by the adjacent portions of saidbottom and top sides along the respective side edges being disposed insubstantial juxtaposition,

one of said side edges defining an outfold crease line,

said member being coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on theexterior surface of one side thereof and throughout an area borderingand coextensive with the other of said edges,

said member also being coated on said surface of said one side thereofwith a pressure sensitive adhesive throughout a second area parallelingsaid first area and having its inner margin spaced from said outfoldcrease line approximately the width of the container size to be Wrapped,

said member being proportioned so that said inner margin of said secondarea is spaced from said other edge a distance approximating twice theheight of the container size to be Wrapped,

said seam being located within the last mentioned distance,

said member being coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on saidsurface of said one side thereof at either end thereof and across anarea at either end thereof that borders the respective indentations,

said member being further coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive onthe interior surface of said other side thereof at either end thereofthroughout an area at either end thereof that underlies the respectiveindentations of said one side thereof,

said member sides each being formed with an end flap forming fold lineat either end of said member, with said end flap forming fold lines ofeach side of said member extending transversely thereof and being spacedapart approximately the length of the container size to be wrapped,

whereby, when said member is opened by separating said sides thereof toreceive the container to be wrapped, on positioning one longitudinallyextending corner edge of the container in interfitting engagement withsaid outfold crease line and centering the container between saidadhesive coated areas at the ends of said member, the portion of saidmember between said other edge thereof and said inner margin of saidsecond mentioned adhesive coated area of said one side thereof may bedoubled over fiat against the adjacent side of the container using as acenter the longitudinally extending corner edge of the container that isdiagonally opposite said one corner edge thereof, with the end flaps ofsaid one side of the member being turned against the respec tive ends ofthe container and the end flaps of said other side of the member beingturned against the respective said one side end flaps to provide ahidden seamed uniform appearing gift wrapped container in which allexposed portions of the wrapper are free from decoration marringdiscontinuities.

3. A prefabricated wrapper especially adapted for wraping containers ofparallelepiped configuration and of predetermined size, said wrappercomprising:

an open ended fiat tubular member formed from a generallyquadrilaterally shaped sheet of wrapper material having two opposed endsof the material secured together to form a seam that extendslongitudinally of said member,

said member defining cusped marginal side edges that extendlongitudinally thereof, and top and bottom sides separated by said sideedges,

said side edges each being formed by the adjacent portions of saidbottom and top sides along the respective side edges being disposed insubstantial juxtaposition,

one of said side edges defining an outfold crease line,

said member being coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on theexterior surface of one side thereof and throughout an area borderingand coextensive with the other of said edges,

said member also being coated on said surface of said one side thereofwith a pressure sensitive adhesive throughout a second area parallelingsaid first area and having its inner margin spaced from said outfoldcrease line approximately the width of the container size to be wrapped,

said member being proportioned so that said inner margin of said secondarea is spaced from said other edge a distance approximating twice theheight of the container size to be wrapped,

said seam being located within the last mentioned distance,

said member being coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on saidsurface of said one side thereof at either end thereof along areasextending transversely of said member,

said member being further coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive onthe interior surface of said other side there of at either end thereofthroughout an area at either end thereof that extends transverselythereof,

said member sides each being formed with an end flap forming fold lineat either end of said member, with said end flap forming fold lines ofeach side of said member extending transversely thereof and being spacedapart approximately the length of the container size to be wrapped,

whereby, when said member is opened by separating said sides thereof toreceive the container to be wrapped, on positioning one longitudinallyextending corner-edge of the container in interfitting engagement withsaid outfold crease line and centering the container between saidadhesive coated areas at the ends of said member, the portion of saidmember between said other edge thereof and said inner margin of saidsecond mentioned adhesive coated area of said one side thereof may bedoubled over fiat against the adjacent side of the container using as acenter the longitudinally extending corner edge of the container that isdiagonally opposite said one corner edge thereof, with the end flaps ofsaid one side of the member being turned against the respective ends ofthe container and the end flaps of said other side of the member beingturned against the respective said one side end flaps to provide ahidden seamed uniform appearing gift Wrapped container in which allexposed portions of the wrapper are free from decoration marringdiscontinuities.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,628,764 2/1953Rubenstein et a1. 5 2,704,183 3/1955 Stern 22953 FOREIGN PATENTS 614,22312/1948 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Examiner.

1. A PREFABRICATED WRAPPER ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR WRAPPING CONTAINERS OFPARALLELEPIPED CONFIGURATION AND OF PREDETERMINED SIZE, SAID WRAPPERCOMPRISING: AN OPEN ENDED FLAT TUBULAR MEMBER FORMED FROM A GENERALLYQUADRILATERALLY SHAPED SHEET OF WRAPPER MATERIAL HAVING TWO OPPOSED ENDSOF THE MATERIAL SECURED TOGETHER IN OVERLAPPING RELATION TO FORM A SEAMTHAT EXTENDS LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID MEMBER, SAID MEMBER DEFINING CREASEDMARGINAL SIDE EDGES THAT EXTEND LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, AND TOP ANDBOTTOM SIDES SEPARATED BY SAID SIDE EDGES, SAID SIDE EDGES EACH BEINGFORMED BY THE ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SAID BOTTOM AND TOP SIDES ALONG THERESPECTIVE SIDE EDGES BEING FOLDED FLAT, ONE OF SAID CREASED SIDE EDGESDEFINING AN OUTFOLD CREASE LINE, SAID MEMBER BEING COATED WITH APRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE ON THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF ONE SIDE THEREOFAND THROUGHOUT AN AREA BORDERING AND COEXTENSIVE WITH THE OTHER OF SAIDSIDE EDGES, SAID MEMBER ALSO BEING COATED ON SAID SURFACE OF SAID ONESIDE THEREOF WITH A PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE THROUGHOUT A SECOND AREAPARALLELING SAID FIRST AREA AND HAVING ITS INNER MARGIN SPACED FROM SAIDOUTFOLD CREASE LINE APPROXIMATELY THE WIDTH OF THE CONTAINER SIZE TO BEWRAPPED, SAID MEMBER BEING PROPORTIONED SO THAT SAID INNER MARGIN OFSAID SECOND AREA IS SPACED FROM SAID OTHER EDGE THEREOF A DISTANCEAPPROXIMATING TWICE THE HEIGHT OF THE CONTAINER SIZE TO BE WRAPPED, SAIDSEAM BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE LAST MENTIONED DISTANCE, SAID MEMBER ATEITHER END THEREOF HAVING SAID SIDE THEREOF INDENTED INWARDLY OF THEOTHER SIDE THEREOF, SAID MEMBER BEING COATED WITH A PRESSURE SENSITIVEADHESIVE ON SAID SURFACE OF SAID ONE SIDE THEREOF AT EITHER END THEREOFAND THROUGHOUT AN AREA AT EITHER END THEREOF THAT BORDERS THE RESPECTIVEINDENTATIONS, SAID MEMBER BEING FURTHER COATED WITH A PRESSURE SENSITIVEADHESIVE ON THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID OTHER SIDE THEREOF AT EITHEREND THEREOF THROUGHOUT AN AREA AT EITHER END THEREOF THAT UNDERLIES THERESPECTIVE INDENTATIONS OF SAID ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID MEMBER SIDES EACHBEING FORMED WITH AN END FLAP FORMING FOLD LINE AT EITHER END OF SAIDMEMBER, WITH SAID END FLAP FORMING FOLD LINES OF EACH SIDE OF SAIDMEMBER EXTENDING TRANSFERSELY THEREOF AND BEING SPACED APARTAPPROXIMATELY THE LENGTH OF THE CONTAINER SIZE TO BE WRAPPED, WHEREBY,WHEN SAID MEMBER IS OPENED BY SEPARATING SAID SIDES THEREOF TO RECEIVETHE CONTAINER TO BE WRAPPED, ON POSITIONING ONE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDINGCORNER EDGE OF THE CONTAINER IN INTERFITTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAIDOUTFOLD CREASE LINE AND CENTERING THE CONTAINER BETWEEN SAID ADHESIVECOATED AREAS AT THE ENDS OF SAID MEMBER, THE PORTION OF SAID MEMBERBETWEEN SAID OTHER EDGE THEREOF AND SAID INNER MARGIN OF THE SECONDMENTIONED ADHESIVE COATED AREA OF SAID ONE SIDE THEREOF MAY BE DOUBLEDOVER FLAT AGAINST THE ADJACENT SIDE OF THE CONTAINER USING AS A CENTERTHE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CORNER EDGE OF THE CONTAINER THAT ISDIAGONALLY OPPOSITE SAID ONE CORNER EDGE THEREOF, WITH THE END FLAPS OFSAID ONE SIDE OF THE MEMBER BEING TURNED AGAINST THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OFTHE CONTAINER AND THE END FLAPS OF SAID OTHER SIDE OF THE MEMBER BEINGTURNED AGAINST THE RESPECTIVE SAID ONE SIDE END FLAPS TO PROVIDE AHIDDEN SEAMED UNIFORM APPEARING GIFT WRAPPED CONTAINER IN WHICH ALLEXPOSED PORTIONS OF THE WRAPPER ARE FREE FROM DECORATION MARRINGDISCONTINUITIES.